SUMO: GREAT NEWS!!!!

Today was the last match for Tochinoshin in this tournament. As I mentioned before the Makushita division has only 7 matches each tournament! He won his match easily!!! So that makes his record 5-2!!! I'm so happy for him!!!

It is a good record and I believe we'll surely see him in Juryo division next year!! What a great thing to be thankful for during this U.S. Thanksgiving holiday weekend!! :-)

Ogaki-san should send me some pictures later that I can post when I get back from the gym!! That is where I'm headed now!!!

CONGRATULATIONS TOCHINOSHIN! YOU DID A GREAT JOB!!!!!!

Sumo: Fukuoka Basho
Update after Day 10

There are only 5 more days left in the tournament! Things are going well. Three of my most favorite guys are all tied for the lead in the tournament! Baruto, Kotomitsuki & Hakuho! Chiyotaikai was the sole leader until today but now he has two losses like the rest. I like him too but I just love Baruto and Kotomitsuki more.. :-)

The interesting news is that Takamisakari has reentered the tournament after 5 days off. I read he had a fractured ankle. I guess that was a mistake on the doctor's part or the media because I'm not doctor myself but I don't think ankle fractures can heal in 5 days! Obviously he must feel up to coming back and it must have just been a sprain or something but I'm a little worried about him too!!!Take care of yourself Takamisakari!

The sad news on day 7 was that Kotooshu had to withdraw from the tournament due to his previous injuries he had before the tournament started! So sorry for him!!! With is record at that point it was clear he wasn't in top form!!! Get Well Soon Kotooshu!!!!

Hakuho 8-2 (wins-losses)
Kotomitsuki 8-2
Chiyotakai 8-2
Ama 6-4 (doing a bit better, hope he can win the next 5 as well!)
Baruto 8-2 (saw his match today and he looked good! when he finished he was smiling so much it was incredible! smiling ear to ear all the way back from the dohyo and had a chat with some fans waiting to give him a present! I watched his short interview after that & he really was full of smiles and the commentator mentioned more than once that he had never seen him so happy! Good Job today!!)

Kasugano Rikishi:
Makuuchi:
Tochinonada 7-3 (saw his match today and he look fantastic!!!!)
Tochiozan 5-5 (good luck!!!)
Kasuganishiki 6-4 (doing well, keep up the good work!)

Juryo:
Tochinohana 1-9 (I'm so sorry for him!I know how disappointed he must be!)

Makushita ( only 7 mathces total per tournament):
Tochinoshin 4-1
Kimurayama 4-1
*both guys have a match tomorrow with their opponents equally ranked!*

Good Luck tomorrow guys!!!!

SUMO: Tochinoshin update!!!

Unfortunately I have to report that yesterday Tochinoshin had a match and he lost. I didn't see it yet because I was working but I got the news by cell phone from Ogaki-san and my heart was broken! But Ok, he is 4-1 now and that is still fantastic and that one of those wins is upper division, it is OK!!!! It is better than OK, it is very good I think!!!

Tomorrow he will have another match, today was his rest day. Tomorrow he is up against Kitakachikuni who is also at 4-1 so it won't be an easy match! I'm hoping he does well of course!!!
I will be teaching at that time but having my fingers crossed!!! That and waiting for Ogaki-san's email after the match!

GOOD LUCK TOCHINOSHIN!!!!

Sumo: Fukuoka Basho
Update after Day 6

Better late than never!! I've been so concerned with updating Tochinoshin's match information I haven't told you about anyone else this tournament!! Too little time and the most important had to come first!!!

The sad news is that Takamisakari has had to withdraw from the tournament due to a fractured ankle he suffered on the 4th day. That meant the 5th day he forfeited his match and withdrew from the rest of the tournament! I'm so sorry Takamisakari! Get well soon!!!!!

Also I don't think I've mentioned that Asashoryu is absent this entire tournament. He is still in Mongolia and will return to Japan on Nov. 26th. I thought he'd be back for this tournament but I guess I had the wrong information. He must come back and make an apology of sorts to the Sumo council for his actions. Then he will be allowed to compete in the winter one day tour program. The next tournament for him will be the Hatsu Basho in January! It will be exciting to have two Yokozuna again competing like the old days with Takanohana, Wakanohana, Akebono and Musashimaru but I don't care for Asashoryu or his attitude so I don't mind either way he is here or not! Maybe he can show me something new that changes my mind about him?! We'll see...

Hakuho is the only Yokozuna this tournament and he is doing well with only one loss!

Hakuho 5-1 (wins-losses)
Kotomitsuki 5-1 (he has a new picture on the sumo page, his smile is sooo cute!)
Chiyotakai 6-0
Kotooshu 2-4 (I'm so disappointed for him!!)
Ama 3-3 (sorry for Isao-san and Kazuko, my friends who really love him!!)
Baruto 5-1

Kasugano Rikishi:
Makuuchi:
Tochinonada 4-2
Tochiozan 4-2
Kasuganishiki 3-3
*I watched these matches in my car during a traffic jam tonight. All three boys did a great job on wins Friday!!*
Juryo:
Tochinohana 0-6 (I'm so sorry for him!)
Makushita (7 mathces total):
Tochinoshin 4-0 (reminder one win is Juryo win Friday!!)
Kimurayama 2-1 (he's only had 3 matches total so far)

Good Luck tomorrow guys!!!!

The Sumo news gets better and better!!!

This morning I found out that Tochinoshin would have a match in the upper Juryo division today! This was because of the unfortunate withdrawal of Takamisakari due to a fractured ankle. That means that someone from Juryo has to move up to Makuuchi to fill in, then someone from Makushita has to move up to fill in the Juryo spot!!

I was so excited & nervous all day! I almost couldn't breathe until I heard the news.... I figured the match would be about 3pm and so I had my cell phone in my pocket and at 3:15 I could feel it vibrating.. that meant a new email. I couldn't wait until 3:30 when my class was over so I could check my mail! I held my breath and clicked the mail and when I saw the good news... "Tochinoshin won..." I jumped up and down and almost screamed!

I was so happy for him!! Thank you Ogaki-san for your quick information today!! I would have gone insane today without knowing!

Tomorrow Tochinoshin will have a rest as he should have only 3 more matches this tournament. Tomorrow's slide up to Juryo will be his stablemate Kimurayama and I hope he does as well and beats his Juryo opponent!

There is a picture of Tochinoshin on Kasugano's website today of him getting his hair done for the tournament! Check it out here. It is all in Japanese but scroll down below the chart of wins and losses and you'll come to the kanji for his name. You can find it!

Congratulations today Tochinoshin!! 4-0 is fantastic and one of those being Juryo division!! Good for you!!! Enjoy your rest tomorrow!!!

It was a great Sumo day again today!!! Tochinoshin (栃ノ心) won his third match today! He is undefeated! I am so excited every day anticipating what will happen that I wonder if I'll explode until I know the news! Today I couldn't watch the match because I was working so I had to wait for Ogaki-san's email with the good news!

Congratulations Tochinoshin!!!!!!!

Tochinoshin (in Japanese 栃ノ心) won again today in his 2nd match this tournament!
I am so happy for him!!!! He will have just 5 more matches this tournament and I hope he can make his record 7-0!!!
Congratulations Tochinoshin!!!

Photos of Tochinoshin's Sunday Match!

Sumo update!!!!

Today is the first day of the Fukuoka Basho and although the day's matches aren't over I must report that Tochinoshin has won his debut match at the top rank of #1 East Makushita! I'm so happy for him!!!
It is just day one but a great way to start off the tournament!!
I do not know which days he will have matches, in Makushita they do not have a match every day but I will post his results when he does!
CONGRATULATIONS TOCHINOSHIN!!!!
You did a great job today!!!

SUMO
SUPER FANTASTIC NEWS!!!!!!!!!

The November basho is coming up soon and on October 29th the new Banzuke (Sumo ranking was released!) I am extremely happy to report that my favorite young guy Tochinoshin (see pic below-the most handsome man in Sumo!) has been promoted to the top spot of the prestigious East #1 in Makushita division!!! It is wonderful news! I am so happy for him. His last tournament he did very well and has earned this promotion! The next division is Juryo and it would be fantastic if he could make it to that rank for the January tournament!!!

The November tournament is held in Fukuoka! It is so far away though I wish I could see Tochinoshin's debut as the top ranked Makushita! I've talked to him on the phone and congratulated him on the day the ranking was announced. He was so surprised that even though I was away on my trip I knew this news so quickly! (Thanks to Ogaki-san's quick email information!!)

More good news for Kasugano stable is that the West #1 spot is also held by Kimurayama of Kasugano.

Additionally my other sweetie Baruto has been promoted again to East Maegashira #16 after being demoted due to missing some tournaments with injuries. He won the Juryo division last tournament so he also moves back up to the Makuuchi division!! I'm happy for him!!!

This will also be a great tournament because finally two Yokozuna will compete together. Last tournament Asashoryu was absent for health reasons.

I would love to go, just checked the info again and the cheapest round trip would be about $500 to go there by shinkansen! Plus Sumo tickets. I guess it would be better to spend that money and go to two days of the January Basho in Tokyo!!

Good Luck boys!! Especially Tochinoshin!!!!